Křivoklát Castle is located in

Central Bohemia The Central Bohemian Region ( cz, Středočeský kraj, german: Mittelböhmische Region) is an administrative unit ( cz, kraj) of the Czech Republic, located in the central part of its historical region of Bohemia. Its administrative centre is in ...

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...

History

Křivoklát was founded in the 12th century, belonging to the kings of Bohemia. During the reign of

Přemysl Otakar II Ottokar II ( cs, Přemysl Otakar II.; , in Městec Králové, Bohemia – 26 August 1278, in Dürnkrut, Lower Austria), the Iron and Golden King, was a member of the Přemyslid dynasty who reigned as King of Bohemia from 1253 until his dea ...

a large, monumental royal castle was built, later rebuilt by king

Václav IV Wenceslaus IV (also ''Wenceslas''; cs, Václav; german: Wenzel, nicknamed "the Idle"; 26 February 136116 August 1419), also known as Wenceslaus of Luxembourg, was King of Bohemia from 1378 until his death and King of Germany from 1376 until he w ...

and later enlarged by king Vladislav of Jagellon. The castle was damaged by fire several times. It was turned into a harsh prison and the building slowly deteriorated. During the 19th century, the family of

Fürstenberg Fürstenberg (also Fuerstenberg and Furstenberg) may refer to: Historical states * Fürstenberg-Baar, county (1441–1559) * Fürstenberg-Blumberg, county (1559–1614) * Fürstenberg-Donaueschingen, county (1617–1698) * Fürstenberg-Fürsten ...

became the owners of the castle and had it reconstructed after a fire in 1826. The Fürstenberg family owned the castle until 1929. Between the 14th and 15th centuries, the first cottages appeared below the castle and the hamlet became known as Budy. Nearby hamlet Čamrdoves grew up, and during the 17th and 18th centuries they became one village. In 1886 the hamlets Budy, Amalín, Čamrdoves, and Častonice created one single administrative unit, the municipality of

Křivoklát Křivoklát (german: Pürglitz) is a market town in Rakovník District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 700 inhabitants. It is known for the Křivoklát Castle. Administrative parts Villages of Častonice and Pí ...

. Today the castle serves as a museum, tourist destination and place for theatrical exhibitions. Collections of hunting weapons, Gothic paintings and books are stored there.

Gallery

File:Wenceslas Hollar - Bohemian views 11 (cropped).jpg, Křivoklát on an engraving by

Wenceslaus Hollar Wenceslaus Hollar (23 July 1607 – 25 March 1677) was a prolific and accomplished Bohemian graphic artist of the 17th century, who spent much of his life in England. He is known to German speakers as ; and to Czech speakers as . He is particu ...

from the 17th century File:Antonin Mánes - hrad Křivoklát (1835) obr01 crop.png, Křivoklát on a watercolor by Antonín Mánes from 1835. File:Krivoklat 1958 01.jpg, Krivoklat around 1958 when its main tower was reconstructed. File:KrivoklatKaple.jpg, Altar in gothic chapel of the Coronation of the Virgin Mary from the time of King Vladislav II. Jagiellonian File:Hrad Křivoklát 33.jpg, Lower courtyard File:Hrad Křivoklát (Křivoklát) (7).jpg, Upper courtyard File:Křivoklát, hrad z vyhlídky.jpg, Křivoklát Castle from East, 21st century.

Notable prisoners

* Burkhard von Berlichingen *

Edward Kelley Sir Edward Kelley or Kelly, also known as Edward Talbot (; 1 August 1555 – 1597/8), was an English people, English Renaissance magic, Renaissance occultist and scryer. He is best known for working with John Dee (mathematician), John Dee in hi ...

* Hieronymus Makowsky

External links

Castle website
cs, en

Official Prague Tourism website page about the castle
{{DEFAULTSORT:Krivoklat Castle Royal residences in the Czech Republic Rakovník District Museums in the Central Bohemian Region Historic house museums in the Czech Republic National Cultural Monuments of the Czech Republic Castles in the Central Bohemian Region Fürstenberg family residences